MANILA, Philippines – Commission on Elections Chairman Sixto Brillantes said it was the prerogative a former poll official linked to cheating in the 2004 presidential elections not to appear before the body investigating the issue although it could compel him to attend the hearing.
“That is his prerogative, not to appear. If he doesn’t want to be invited then we have some options – to subpoena him. He can be compelled to appear if he doesn’t want to appear voluntarily,” said Brillantes in a live television interview when asked to comment on former Comelec commissioner Virgilio Garcillano’s statement that he would not attend the hearing by the Comelec-DoJ investigating body.
On Garcillano’s offer to be Comelec’s consultant on electoral reforms, Brillantes said, “He should first clear his involvement in the 2004 poll fraud.”